Research yields 6 recommendations to stimulate 'smart' job growth post-COVID

November 18, 2020

Rapidly connecting workers to in-demand occupations and designing job training with future careers in mind are among the ways the central Ohio community can address technology-related workplace changes and workforce gaps while emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study suggests.

Researchers in The Ohio State University Ohio Education Research Center (OERC) partnered with Smart Columbus, the Workforce Development Board of Central Ohio and United Way of Central Ohio on a study examining the effects of “disruptive” technologies on the regional workforce.

The study, “Fast Forward: The Future of Smart Work in Central Ohio,” found that technology disruptions inspired by the smart city movement – such as automation – will likely accelerate even more quickly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to close skill gaps and deliver education and credentials for central Ohio workers will take on a new urgency.

Based on the research, the study sponsors are advising the central Ohio community to pursue the following recommendations:

Respond in real time: Use education, workforce and employment data to analyze in close-to-real-time what is happening in the economy so that the workforce system can quickly and proactively help job seekers understand what skills are needed, and help businesses know what skill sets are available in the region.
Train for the future: Establish a continuous learning system that educates and trains for future career opportunities.
Intervene early: Incorporate work and career exploration in curriculum as early as middle school and continuing through high school in all school districts in Franklin County. Provide exposure to high-demand occupations and key business sectors in central Ohio through required work experience and internships. Partner with employers to provide guidance and assistance in making the work experiences and internships meaningful.
Accelerate access to in-demand occupations: Improve access to employer-identified short-term certifications and credentials that more quickly get job seekers into in-demand occupations. In addition, re-engineer credentials and postsecondary degrees to be competency-based, meaning that learning is not based on a prescribed number of hours for a course, but rather a demonstrated knowledge of skills.
Establish “earn as you learn” opportunities and connect workers to them: Prioritize learning and skill acquisition with work for the entry- to mid-level workforce through the establishment of apprenticeships and other earn-as-you-learn opportunities by partnering with career technical education and the community college.
Support workers through to successful, quality jobs: Further solidify the workforce system to better coordinate job seekers through preparation for work and wrap-around services necessary to support job seekers through training and education.